(PEORIA, Ill.) — 17 goals. 4 games. 1 goal allowed.
That’s the start of the 2024 campaign for the Peoria City Flying Carp.
The squad got on the board quickly, just into the 5th minute of play. Tommy Coughlin finds Alejandro Valverde in the attacking right corner of play, crossing the ball into the box. The perfect cross is met by the perfect header, Justin Wilson diving towards the net and sinks the Carp’s first of the night. 1-0 PC.
That would do it for scoring in the first half, leaving Peoria City up by 1 while the Carp look to regroup and come out with a strong second half.
And that’s just what they did.
In the 58th minute off the Justin Wilson assist, Luke Persenico gets his 5th goal of the season.
You could barely blink an eye before the next goal of the match came up, with Captain Charlie Dickerson knocking in his 1st of the season in the 61st minute. Justin Wilson gets the assist again and puts the Carp up 3-0.
While the forwards had a lot of fun Wednesday night, it didn’t come without a strong showing from star goalkeeper Samy Slimi.
In the 66th minute, Sueno FC was awarded a PK. A hard shot on net, but Slimi made a fantastic save! He keeps his clean sheet secured for the evening.
Slimi hasn’t allowed a goal since May 11th, in our first match against Des Moines. In 4 games, only 1 goal has been allowed by Peoria City.
An energized crowd and players gets Peoria City back into the attacking half, with Joao Saraiva scoring his 1st of the season. He gets the assist from his Bradley University teammate DJ Koulai in the 73rd minute. 4-0 Flying Carp.
The Bradley duo would connect again 8 minutes later, with Joao sinking in his 2nd of the night in the 81st minute. 5-0 PC.
But, the May 29th Man of the Match Joao Saraiva wasn’t done yet. In stoppage time, Joao receives a no-look pass from Bradley teammate Pepe Mellado, and sinks it in the back of the net! Joao would record the first hat trick of the season for Peoria City, putting the Carp up 6-0.
A fantastic team win by Peoria City as the team gets an 8-day break from USL League Two play.
But, the action doesn’t stop yet! Peoria City is back in action on Saturday, June 1st for Irish Night at Shea Stadium, presented by the Peoria Irish Fest and the St. Patrick Society of Peoria, Illinois!
See the inaugural Lincoln Cup against Springfield FC, in Peoria City’s first-ever exhibition match of our 3-year history.
This is part of a home-and-home aggregate series, where whoever scores the most goals in the 2 games wins the 2024 Lincoln Cup.
Food trucks begin in the Industry Brewing Tailgate Zone at 5:00 PM, gates open at 6:30 alongside the Discover Peoria Play Zone, the action kicks off at 7:30!
